Printing machinery



Jan. 14, 1930. .A. F. WILLIAMS 1,743,416

, PRINTING MACHINERY.

Filed Dec. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I T gmmm 6H0: new

Jan. 14, 1930. A. F. WILLIAMS PRINTING MACHINERY Filed Dec. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I atkozmaa Jan. 14, 1930.

Filed Dec. 30, 1927 A. F. WILLIAMS PRINTING MACHINERY 4 SheetsShet s gnaw/wk Jan. 14, 1930.

' V A. F. WILLIAMS j PRINTING 'ACHINERY Filed Dec. 50. 1927 l 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNrrEo STATES PATENT OFFICE AUGUST F. WILLIAMS, SOUTH EUCLID, Onro, ASSIGHOB. TO THE AMERICAN MULTI- GRAPH COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, 01110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO PRINTING MACHINERY Application filed December 30, 1927. Serial No. 243,527.

This invention relates toa rotary printing machine, and particularly such machine equipped for printing addresses on envelopes, cards, etc. The machine is preferably of that- 'type of addressing multigraph illustrated in Patents Nos. 1,625,256 and 1,627,240, issued to my assignee, The American Multigraph Company.

In the operation of machines made in ac- I cordance with the patents mentioned, it has been found that sometimes the imprint on the envelope is imperfect, a certain smudging taking place. Experimenting with various means to cure this defect, I have discovered that the desirable result can be accomplished by inter-posing a movable shield between the address-carrying drum and the envelope platen, this shield havingsutlicient opening for the imprint and moving with the envelope during the impression. While thorout tests have demonstrated that my mo able shield prevents the smudging, the reason why this result takes place has not yet been clearly proven. Accordingly, I will fully describe the structure, as embodied by me, and then give my theory as to the reason for the operation.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section through an addressing multigraph equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged substantially horizontal sect-ion through the envelope platen and adjacent parts, as indicated by the line 22 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the machine on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 on Fig. 2 looking in the opposite direction "from Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 2, with the drum in printingposition; Figs. 5 and 6 are enlargements ot the printing platen and shield shown in Fig. 1, in positions indicating the beginning of the envelope feed and near the conclusion of the impressing action, respectively; Fig. 7 is a perspective of the envelope shield alone; Fig. 8 is an elevation of the envelope pocket and the shield and carrier as mounted in the machine, looking toward the platen; Fig. 9 is a view of the movable envelope shield and its carrier; Figs; 10 and 11 are cross sections on correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. 9.

I will first briefly describe the addressing chine proper comprises a rotary drum 10,

mounted on a shaft 11, ournalled in end t'rame plates 12 and 13 above a roller platen 14 mounted on a shaft 15. Gearing 16 and 17 and a suitable coupling connect the drum and platen. Any suitable means is'provided for rotating the drum and platen.

Mounted on the drum may be means for printing the body of a form letter, as a blanket 20 (indicated conventionally in Fig. 1) stretched about a segmental portion of the drum. The se ment is shown as a semi-cylinder resting on the end members 28 and 29 of the drum and held in place by a spring hook 2 1 engaging the shaft 11. An inking ribbon 3 has its ends wound on spools 27 carried between the end members of the drum, such ribbon extending interlnediately about the type form. It will be seen that in the construction described, when the drum is rotated, paper ted between the drum and platen may be printed by the characters through the ribbon.

The body of the drum adjacent one edge of the segment 10 is shown in Fig. 1 as provided with pair of longitudinal channels 30, 31 for the reception of the removable address plate. This plate may be of the form shown conventionally at 32, having an arcuate intermediate region and depressed edge portions curled on themselves for strength, and adapted to occupy the channels 30 and 31 when it shoved endwise into place. Between these channels is a portion of the drum providing a support for the intermediate portion of the plate. The plate, which is shown conventionally may, if desired, have raised project-ions like the blanket and carry similar embossed printing strips.

The address plates may be inserted manually or in other manner as desired, a different plate for each rotation. The paper may be fed manually or automatically as desired. The drawing illustrates at and 411 (Fig. 1), a pair of feed rolls connected by gearing 43 (Fig. 3) with the platen gear 16 and operating to progress the paper to the region between the drum and the platen. The drawing also shows an ejector roll 45 (Fig. 1) coacting with a stripper spring 46, and connected with the drum by sprocket and spur gearing 47 (Fig.- 3), but these parts are shown merely incidentally,

The v mechanism described enables the simultaneous printing of the body and address of an addressed letter through an inking ribbon with comparative rapidity. Mechanism which will nowbe describedis provided to enable the envelope to be printed from the same addressplate while inits same position on the drum. I

The envelopeprlnting platen, designated '50 is a segment on a roller 53 adjacent the nectible for rotation with the gear 52 by a single rotation clutch designated 60 as a whole. V

i i The clutch isof the single-rotation type,

now be described.

. and may be of the form shown'in Fig. 2. That figure shows the gear 52 journalled on a stud 55 mounted in an extension of the end plate 13. Onemember of the clutch consists of a disk rigid with this gear 52 and shown as pinned to a hub on the gear; another member consists of a disk 61 rigid with the platen; a third member comprises an intermediate disk 62 having radial ribs 63 occupying corresponding grooves in the disk 61 (after the manner'of an Oldham coupling) and the final member comprises a locking pin 65 adapted to lock the members 60 and 62 together. This locking pin is slidably mounted'in the member 60 and may engage a notch in the member 62. i The clutch pin 65 is normally held withdrawn by a lever 80, which constitutes part of the detecting mechanism, which will On the printing drum is a cam 81 (Fig.3). whichon each rotation of the drum acts on a roller 82 on the end of an arm 83 pivotedat 84 and having a depending portion 85 to which is anchored a tension spring 86.. This arm has an overhanging lip 87 which bears against a small compression spring, the other.

end of which bears against the arm 80,'also pivoted at 84. The action of the cam accordingly istoraisethe roller'and swing the arm 80 toward the drum if the arm is free to move,

otherwise to compress the spring between the arm and the lip 87. k

The arm 80 is normally held in theposition shown in Fig. 3 by a latch arm 90 which i is a rock arm ona shaft 91 which carries an; other rock arm 92 (Fig. 1) constituting at detecting finger. Extending between thedrum and envelope platen is a suitable pocket,

hereinafter described,for the envelope to be' I lope is present, extends through openings in the. pocket as shown inFig. 1, being held in that position by a light spring (not shown) acting on the rock shaft 91. Thefinger in such position holds the latch arm 90 in the position shown in Fig. 3 to prevent the action of the arm 80. Whenever an envelope is placed in the pocket, it swings the detecting finger 92 clownwardly'and thus rocks the latch arm 90 free from the arm 80. Under these circumstances whenthe cam 81 acts on the roller 82, the arm is moved toward the drum. This withdraws the arm from the clutch pin 65 and the spring forces the clutchpin into action, thus locking the platen shaft 51 to the driving pinion 52 and giving the platen 50 one complete revolution to print the address on the envelope.

Before the printing of the envelope is completed, the cam 81 will have cleared the roller 72 and the arm 80 will have returned to the position of Fig. 3 Where its beveled edge 81 (Fig. 2) will engage the collar 67 on the clutch pin, and thus the clutch withdraws itself from action as the rotation is completed, stopping the driving of the platen 50.

I will describe my attachment, which is related to the envelope pocket between the drum and platen 50, as aoove mentioned. 7

As shown, particularly in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 8, the envelope pocket in this case comprises a front plate 100 mounted on a cross rod 101; a bottom bar 102, and a rear plate 103- secured to this bottom bar and having ears 104 embracing a cross rod 105 and above that curving over the top of the platen, as shown at 106, and finally anchored toa cross bar 107. Both the front and rear plates 100, 103, are cut out for a distance greaterthan' the length of the segmental platen, leavingopen: ings for the platen to coactwith theprint ing form. The opening in the front plate is shown at 109 in Fig. 8. p In this'open region is mounted a stationary upright plate 110'secured at its lower end to the. cross bar 102. r

This plate 110 has an opening 112 through which the detector finger, above mentioned, 1

The final member of the envelope holder i M comprises my movable shield, which is a plate having an opening 121 slightly shorter than the length of the platen, but longer than the longest address used on the machine. The width of this opening (that is, its ver tical dimension) is greater than the arcuate distance across an address plate having the largest number of lines employed. Accordingly, this opening is sufiicient to allow the printing of any address within the range of the machine.

The shield 120 lies snugly against the plate 110 and is slidably held thereon by bent ever end flanges 123 of the plate 120. In its lowermost position, the lower edge of the shield rests on the cross bar 102 of the envelope pocket. A limit is provided for its upward movement by outwardly flaring edges 115 of the tongues 113 on the stationary plate 110. The movable shield is provided above the opening 121 with a ledge 127 extending in an inclined direction toward the envelope, as shown in Fig. 6. At its lower end the shield has a horizontal flange 125, which is abutted by the lower edge of the inserted envelope.

In operation of the machine, the envelope (indicated at A in Figs. 5 and 6) is inserted into the envelope pocket between the front plate and the rear plate 103. The lower edge of the envelope engages the bottom flange 125 of the shield and forces it down to normal position if it be elevated. Now when the envelope platen is clutched in, and the rubber segment begins to coact with the envelope, the edge of this segment acts through the envelope against the ledge 127 of the shield and starts lifting the shield, as the platen and drum rotate. This action is illustrated in Fig. 5. The ledge 127 apparently holds the envelope back against the platen so that it cannot bow through the opening 121 and inadvertently contact with the printing ribbon.

As the address carrying drum and the envelope platen continue to rotate in ceaction, the envelope and shield are fed upwardly together, and the printing on the envelope is effected through the opening 121. This upward feed starts, as explained above, by the coaction of the edge of the platen with the shield ledge 127, but later is continued by the pressure of the rubber segment against that portion of the shield which is opposite the ends of the opening 121. This shield is in effect gripped between the rubber segment on one side of the shield, and the inking ribbon overlying the printing form on the other side, which bears against the flanged overends 123 of the shield.

At the start of the printing, the available portion of the opening 121 is narrow, by reason of the lower part of that opening being below the edge 116 of the plate 110, as shown in Fig. 9. This narrow opening will insure the envelope from inadvertently engaging the ribbon. As the printing is effected, and the rubber platen on one side and the address plate and ribbon on the other feed the envelope and shield upwardly, the availableopening through the shield increases to allow the printing of the lower lines on the address,

but I find it is not necessary to shut ed the upper portion of the opening 121 as the ledge 1.27 holds the envelope back away from the printing drum sufliciently so there is no smudging.

As the rubber segment goes out of coaction with the address plate, after the address is printed on the envelope, continued rotation of the rubber segment continues to carry the envelope upwardly and then soft rubber pins 130 on the platten roller some distance back of the segment, come into contact with the envelope and cont1nue its upward feed untll it is ejected over the shield portion 106.

When these pins and the envelope have cleared the shield, there is only friction to culty. I can, however, mention'following 5 characteristics which may throw light on the matter:

Without the shield the s nudging does not always occur, but sometimes does, and it seems to be worse with addresses of short lines, than of long lines. Apparently, when my shield is not employed, there is sometimes a slipping of the address with reference to the envelope, as if the envelope did not travel quite as fast as the address plate, or did not start movement quite quickly enough. And sometimes it seems as if the envelope buckled in against the ribbon over a non-printing portion of the address plate.

My movable shield, by reason of surrounding the address region, may have the eifect of preventing bucklingiof the envelope into undesirable contact with the ribbon. movable shield having ,a ledge coacting witl the upper edge of the rubber segment to grip the envelope between them, seems to lift the envelope instantly when the edge of the rubber segment comes into such coaction with the result that the envelope starts to move instantly and there is no chance for a drag of the envelope with reference to the address plate. As the coactive rotation of the. drum and platen continue, the shield is.

gripped between the rubber segment and the ribbon overlying the address. plate, and thus continues to rise. By reason of the flanged ends 123 on the shield, it can only rise strictly vertically, or at right angles to the line of printing contact, and hence, there is no oppor-tunity for tipping the 'envelope,nor any possibility of feeding'one end fasterthan the other. Finally the shield presenting a movl able'member coacting with'the ribbon, in-

stead of a stationary member as heretofore, thereis no dragon the ribbon tending to pull it over the type form.

Accordingly, my invention of the movable V shield seems to accomplish the result of start ing the envelope immediately, and feeding it truly, and preventmg its buckling against the non-printing portion of the address plate,

and preventing any drawing of the'ribbon across the type form. Whether these characteristics, or any ofthem, are the correct explanation of the operation, prolonged tests have demonstrated that the movable shield described is effective to pre'ventthe undesirable ,smudging.

I claim: r i

1.- The combination with a rotary printing couple, of a movable shield standing between them having an opening through which the impression is effected, and a ledge projecting 7 platen and adaptber and platen, of a slidably guided plate be tween them moved by the coaction'of the couple, and having a shoulder'adapted to be engaged by the edge of the material to be printed. v

4. The combination with a rotary printing couple, a movable shield between them, having an opening through which the printing impression is made, means for guiding said shield during the impressing action, and a V shoulder on the shield adapted to be engaged toward the platen. and adapted to coact there- AIL bylthe edge of the material to be printed, whereby the insertion of the material may return the shield. v

i 5. The combination witha rotary printing couple, of an upright movable shield standing between them having an opening through which the impression is efi'ected, and a ledge above the'open'ing projecting from the shield with to cause'the raisingot the shield, said shield having ai flange at its lower end on which thevenvelope is adapted to rest.

6. The combination of a rotary printing drum adapted to carry a removable address plate, a coacting segmental platen, an envelope pocket between the drum and platen 1 having an opening for enabling coaction of the platen and address plate, said envelope pocket carrying a movable shield'which, has

an opening through which the impression is effected. I p

7. The combination of, a rotary printing drum adapted to carry a removable address plate, a coacting segmental platen, an envelope pocket between the drum and platen having an opening for enabling coaction of the piatenand address plate, said envelope pocket carrying a movable shield having anopening and provided with a ledge adapted to coact with the edge of the platen 8. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a rotary platen member carrying a segmental platen, a stationary support extending between the drum and platen member, and a shield consisting of a thin plate slidably mounted on the-stationary support and guided to moved in apath at right angles to the line of printing contact, said plate having an opening through which the impression may be effected and portionsrat opposite ends of said opening adapted to be gripped by the drum and platen. a I j 9. The combination, of a rotary printing drum adapted to carry a removableaddress plate, a rotary platen member carryinga segmental platen, an envelope pocket between the drum and platen member, having a stationary i plate, a shield censisting of a thin plate slidably mounted on the stationary. plate fmensaid shield and stationary plate hav- A. v iioneti,

made.

10. The combination of a rotary printing ring openings through which the impression is;

a thin plate having turned over ends slidably embracing the stationary plate mentioned and having an opening juxtaposed with an'opening in the stationary plate, said shield having a ledge above its opening with which the I platencoacts to start the plate inlmovement,

said plate also having a flange at its lower end i which maybe engaged by an envelope to return the shield to normal position.

11. The combination of a rotary printing drum having an inking ribbon, a segmental platen adapted to coact with the drum through the ribbon, and a movable shield between the drum and platenvhaving a portion 7 which is engaged by the ribbon.

12. The combination of a rotary printing,

couple, one member having an address plate I p covered by an inking-ribbon and the other member having a segmental platen,and a movable shield between said members and means for guiding it substantially tangential} ly of the members during the impressin'g action.

13. The combination of. a rotary printing" drum having-an inking ribbon, a rotary mem- Ice her having a segmental platen adapted to coact with the drum through the ribbon, and a slidably guided shield between the drum and platen having a portion which is engaged by the ribbon, and having a ledge which bends the envelope aga nst the edge of the platen.

ombination oi a rotary printing drum ha *1: novable address plate surmounted by an inking" ribbon, a rotary platen member, a segment; gluten thereon, mechanism for throwing -.he platen member into action at the proper time to coaot with the ad dress plate, an envelope pocket comprising two plate-like members extending between the drum and platen and havin openings through which the printing etlected, a sta tionary guide carried by said pocket, and a slidable shield carried by the guide and havan opening through which the impression made, said shield coacting on one side with the inking ribbon and on the other with the envelope and through the envelope with the platen.

15. The combination of a rotary print-ing member, a platen comprising a rotary carrier having a segmental platen portion, a movable shield lying between them having an opening through which the impression is made, and a lug on said carrier some distance from the segmental portion and adapted to engage the article printed to continue the feed thereof. 7

16. The combination of a rotary drum adapted to carry an address plate, a platen roller, having a segmental portion, a. movable shield between the drum and platen, means for guiding said shield in a path substantially tangentially to the paths of the drum and platen, said shield having a portion adapted to be engaged by the platen whereby it may feed, and elastic lugs on the platen r ller adapted to engage the article printed to con-,

tinue the movement thereof.

17. In a printing machine, the combination with a rotary printing couple in which the platen is segmental, of an interposed shield mounted independently of the platen having an opening through which the printing impression is effected, and means inclependent of the couple for so guiding said shield that it may move with the material being printed during printing operation.

18. The combination with a rotary printing couple, a movable shield between the members of the couple and mounted independently of each or" them and means whereby said shield is guided to move in a path substantially tangential to both members of the couple during the impressing action.

19. In a printing machine, the combination with the two members of a printing couple, of an interposed positioning device for the material to be printed, said device having an opening through which printing is efiected,

and a movable shield extending crosswise of said openin e I 20. In a printino machine, the combination with the two mem ers of a printing couple, or" an interposed pocket having two walls with openings through them through which print-- having a ledge projecting toward the platen whereby the platen may lift the shield; I i

22. In a printing machine, the combination with the two members of a printing couple, of an interposed pocket having two walls with openings through them through which printing is effected, and a movable shield within the pocket having a ledge projecting toward the platen whereby the platen actingthrough the paper may lift the shield. i

23. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing couple, of an interposed pocket into and out of which thematerial moves in opposite'directions and which has an opening through which the printing'impression is eilected, and a shield over the opening adapted to be moved during printing operation.

24. The combination of a rotary printing member, a segmental form carried thereon, a segmental platen adapted to coact with the form, a pocket between the platen and form which may hold the paper in position, and a r I shield movable during printing independently of said positioning means.

25. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing drum and a segmental platen having rolling c-oaction, a pocket fixed be tween the two members of the couple and having two spaced walls with openings through which the platen acts, and a shield adapted to stand between the drum and platen and be moved by their coaotion.

26. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing drum on a horizontal axis, a segmental platen on a horizontal axis behind the drum, and a substantially vertical pocket adapted to stand between the drum and platen shieldbein adapted t6 be acted on by the segmental platen and moved during the pnnting.

' 28. The combinationwith a rotary printing 'drum and a roller carrying a segmental laten behind it, a platebetween them havmg an opening through which the segment of the platen may press'thearticle to be printed against the drum, and a shield substantially parallelwith and adjacent to said plate and [extending across the opening, said shield being movably mountedindependentlyof the drum and platen, whereby the segmentmay 'i move the shield to idle position during the l ilade printin action; V A v r 29. he combinationwith a rotary printingdrum and a roller carrying a segmental platen behind it and an envelope pocket betweenthem having frontand rear walls with oiweningsthrough which the segment of the p aten may press an envelope in the pocket against the drum, and a shield substantially ara'llelwith theifront wallofthe pocket and ying'directly behind such'wall and extendin% across the opening, said shield being movab e mounted independently of the drum and laten whereby the segment may raise the In testimony whereof, hereunto aifix my signature' f AUGUST F. WILLIAMS} approximately vertically d i the printing action, r 7 w 

